Speedometer.



L. E. BLANCHARD. SPEEDOMETER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.24, 1910.

1 ,O21,036. I Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

1447065565. //7V?/7f0/T 1 UNITED STATES PATENT curios.

LEONE. superman, or isosrou, METER comramr, or BOSTON,

massaciiusnrrs, ASSIGNOB .ro RELIANCE srnm'imessacnusnr'rs, A CORPORATION or mama.

srsnnonn'rns.

Speolflcat1on of Letters Patent. Patented Mar, 26, 1912, Application filed February 24, 1910. Serial No. 545,885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON E. BLANOHARD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachus etts, have invented an Im rovement in Speedometers, of which the ollowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawin'gs, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to speedometers of that class in which a pointer or indexindicative of sp'eed is operatively connected with a centrifugally operated governor.

The present invention has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, reliable and durable instrument, having an adjustable connection between the centrifugally operated governor and the gearing which operates the 30 pointer orindex, whereby irre larities or differences in the strength of t e governor springs may be compensated for. thereby allowing stock springs to be used without I in the least infecting the accuracy of the in- Another feature ofthe invention consists strum'ent.

in providing :in adjusting device, which is located substantially at right angles to the governor shaft, so as to permit adjustments to be made without moving the pointer from its zero position.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end-of this specification.

i re'l is a plan view of one form of spe'e ometer embod .ing this invention; Fig.

2, aplan view wit parts broken away of the instrument shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detail in section on an enlarged scale of the adjusting device to be referred to; Fig. 4, a

detail in elevation of parts of the instrument" shown'in Fig 1, looking toward the right therein, and igs. and 6, details to be referred to.

Referring to the drawings, a represents a plate or'disk constituting the framework for the operative parts and havingdepending brackets or walls 6, e, which support in suitable roller bearings d the shaft 0 of'a centrifugally operated governor, preferably of the construction herein shown and comprising a-collar 1 fast on the shaft e, a second collar g loose thereon and connectedwith the collar 1 by levers h, 2', provided with wei hts j, and a helical spring 70 encircling the s aft e between the collars f, g, and acting to normally move the collar 9 away from the collar f. he collar 9 is operatively connected with the vertical shaft the disk a and rovided above the latter with a pointer or index 12, which coiiperates withgraduations 13 on a dial 14 to indicate the speed at which the, vehicle, such as an automobile, is traveling. The pointer shaft has mounted on it a pinion 15 located below the plate or disk a, a segmental gear 16 fast on a shaft '17, journaled in the disk a and in a bar 18 suitably secured to said disk below the same. The segmental gearv 16 has secured to it a depending stud or post 20 (see Figs. 3, 5 and 6), to which is adjustably secured a slide plate or bar 22 provided at one end as here in shown with a depending stud or pin 23, which has its lower end extended into an annular groove 24 in the collar g. The slide bar 22 is provided as herein shown with a longitudinally extended slot 25, through which is passed a screw 26, whose threaded shankengages a threaded socket 27 .in the under side or lower end of the post or stud 20 and whose head serves to firmly clamp the adjusting bar 22 said post or stud.

' The slide bar 22 is provided at its rear end with an upturned flange or arm 30 provided with forked fingers 31, which enter an annular groove 32 in. the head 33 of an adjusting screw, whose shank '34 is in threaded engagement with a hole extended transversely through the post 20.

and meshing with in fixed relation to the I By reference to Figs. 3, 5 and 6, it will be seen that by loosening up on the clamping screws 26 and then turning the screw 33, the slide bar 22 may be moved longitudinally so as to move the pin 23 from its central position with relation to the collar g (see Fig. 3) either to the leftas shown in Fig. 5 or to the right of the longitudinal center of the governor shaft e as s own in Fig. 6, or to any point intermediate these two. extreme positions, and when properly positioned, said slide bar is secure in fixed relation to the segmental ear 16 by setting up the screw 26. In t is manner, the connection between the segmental gear 16 and the governor shaft 6 is shortened or lengthened,

according to the strength of the governor spring [a so that stock springs which may vary sl'glitly in strength, maybe used without interfering with the accuracy of the instrument, for by means of theadjustable' slide bar 22, the pointer or index, 12 is always brought back to zero on the dial, when the spring is is in its expanded positionwith the governor shaft '6 at rest."

If the governorspring 7c is of the standard or normal strength, the slide bar is adjusted so that the pin 23 is central with relation to the collar 9 and its shaft, and if the governor spring is weaker than the normal spring, the slidebar is adjusted so that the pin 23 engages the collar at the right ofthe central position, 'aften the manner repremovement of the collar, the pin' 23 is, ad

'usted to the right of 1ts normal position after the manner shown in Fig. 6, so as to obtain the proper reading on the dial corresponding'to the speed of the governor shaft. When the spring'is stronger than the normal,.the collar 9 is moved a less distance and this is compensated for, by movg the pin 23 to the left, after the manner shown in Fig. 5; By reference to Fig. 2, it willbe noticed, that the'slide bar 22 is movable in a path at right angles or substantially so to the governor shaft, which enables said bar to be adjusted without moving the pointer 12 from the zero mark on the dial.

It is preferred toprovide the collar 9 with an annular oove 24 into which the end of the pin 23 extends and to make the in of a diameter substantiallyequal to the width of the groove, as by so doing the pointer 12 and its actuating gearing '15, 16, are positively connected with the centrifugal governor, so as to be moved positively in' ppposite, directions; that is, when the grooved collar is moved longitudinally on the gpvernor s aft in one direction by the weig ts j in response to centrifugal action, the pointer is positivel moved in one direction over the dial to indicate the speed of the: vehicle, and when the speed diminishes and the spring is expands andimoves the collar 9 in the opposite direction, the pointer is positively moved over the dial back toward the zero mark. While it may be preferred to employ the adjustable slide bar and pin 23 with the grooved collar 9 to make the positive connection above dea threaded socket, a screw extended through with said pinion, a centrifugally operated pin, means 'fixed relation to said segmental gear,

scribed, it is-not desired to limit the invention,in this respect. y I To relieve the clamping screw 26 from the work of securing the slide bar 22 against lateral movement with relation to the post 20, the latter is provided at its end with a projection 40, which extends into 25 in said bar.

Claims. Y

1. In an instrument of the class described, in combination, a pointer or index, a shaft on which said pointer is mounted, a pinion on said shaft, a segmental gear meshing with said pinion, a centrifugally operated governor provided with a collar having an annular groove, a pin extended into said groove, a slide bar carrying said pin'and provided with a longitudinally extended slot, a post on said segmental gear having said-slot and into said socket tosecure said a screw extended transversely of said post and engaging said slide bar, substantially as described.

2. In an instrument of the class described, "1 in combination, a pointer or index, a shaft on which saidpointer is mounted, a pinion on said shaft; a segmental gear meshing,

governor provided with a-collar, a pin engaging said collar, aslide bar carrying said forsecuring said slide bar in and means for adjusting said slide bar and pin with relation to said collar, substantially as 4 described.

3. In an instrument ofthe class described, in comb1nat1on,a dial provided with'graduations, a pointer or index,- a shaft on which' said ointer is mounted substantially concentric with relation to said dial, toothed gearing to rotate said shaft, a centrifugally operated governor, a slide bar carried by said gearing, a device on said slide bar cooperating with said governor, and means to secure said slide bar in fixed relation to said gearing, substantially as described.

4. In an instrument of the class described,

in combination, a pointer or index, a shaft,

on which said pointer ismounted, ainion on said shaft, a gear in mesh with sai pinion, a centrifugally operated governor hav- 4 ing a movable collar, a device carried by and secured in fixed relation to said ge'ar'g and engaging wlth said collar, said device being adjustable on said gear, for the purpose specified.

5. In an instrument of the class described,

-in combination, a pointer or index, a shaft on which said pointer is mounted, caring to oscillate said shaft, a centrifuga 1y operated governor, a device carried by and secured in fixed relation to said gearing to move therewith and cooperating with said the slot slide bar in fixed relation to'said post, and

governor, said device being adjustable on said gearing, for the purpose specified.

6. In an instrument of the class described, in combination, a pointer or index, a shaft 5 on which said pointer is mounted, a pinion on said shaft, a ear to drive the said pinion, a centrifugafiy operated overnor provided with a collar, a device coiiperatin with said collar, a slide bar carrym said 10 device, means for securing said slide ar in ear, and a screw for ar and devlce with fixed relation to'said adjusting said slide relation to said collar.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 15 two subscribin witnesses.

iEON E. BLANCHARD.

Witnesses:

JAB. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY. 

